Nail clipper with receiver for nail clippings

ABSTRACT

A nail clipper which, broadly construed, is comparable with dual leg spring steel clippers such as are in widespread use. One improvement features a self-contained hollow receiver which traps and temporarily stores several nail clippings but permits emptying and disposition with requisite nicety. Another improvement has to do with the nipping jaws wherein each jaw has a main or primary cutting blade whose respective ends are equipped with right-angled auxiliary cutting blades. A pivoted fold-away yoke serves as a force applying jaw-closing lever.

United States Patent [191' Manes [451 July 10, 1973 a CLIPPINGS [76] Inventor: Libero G.,Manes, 87041 Acri, Italy [22] Filed: Oct. 14, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 80,596

[52] US. Cl. 30/28 [51] Int. Cl A45d 29/02 [58] Field of Search 30/28, 29, 186, 188, 30/189, 190

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,774,138 12/1956 Gowdey 30/28 1,809,556 6/1931 Jolidon 2,837,821 6/1958 David 702,516 6/1902 Wilcox 30/28 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 249,289 3/1926 Great Britain 30/28 Primary Examiner0thell M. Simpson Attorney-Clarence A. OBrien and Harvey B.

Jacobson 57] ABSTRACT A nail clipper which, broadly construed, is comparable with dual leg spring steel clippers such as are in widespread use. One improvement features a self-contained hollow receiver which traps and temporarily stores several nail clippings but permits emptying and disposition with requisite nicety. Another improvement has to do with the nipping jaws wherein each jaw has a main or primary cutting blade whose respective ends are equipped with right-angled auxiliary cutting blades. A pivoted fold-away yoke serves as a force applying jawclosing lever.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Finger Hook NAIL CLIPPER WITH RECEIVER FOR NAIL CLIPPINGS This invention relates to resilient hand-held pressure manipulatable dual-legged blade-equipped clippers such as are currently and acceptably endorsed for clipping fingernails and toenails and pertains, more particularly, to clippers which embody unique features which are destined to better serve the purposes of those who take care of their own manicuring needs.

It is a matter of common knowledge that when one resorts to the use of currently marketed nail clippers, the severed nail clippings pop out in indeterminate directions and are scattered helter-skelter, usually in an annoying and perplexing manner. The fact that this scattering problem has long existed, has resulted in the discovery and use of clippers which provide ways and means of coping with the problem. Despite the efforts of other inventors who have explored the possibilities of solving the problem, it is recognized, it is believed, that such prior art adaptations have not met with widespread adoption and use. It follows that it is an object of the present invention to provide a nail clipper which should appeal to the manufacturing economies of manufacturers, which can be enthusiastically endorsed by retailers and which will, it is submitted, better serve the purposes of persons who have repeatedly recognized the need for clippers having a receiver or depository for severed nail clippings.

Many prior patents in this field of endeavor teach that it is old to provide an attachment of one type or another which will function to trap nail clippings. While a number of reference patents could be cited and for background purposes, only analogous prior patents need here be mentioned. This is to say the reader if so desired may refer to the combined nail clipper and clippings receptacle disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,180,025 or, because it has a closer bearing on the instant case, the nail clipper in the P. H. Smith U.S. Pat. No. 2,l79,435. The latter patent is mentioned because it shows one of the component units or legs of the clipper characterized by a one-piece channel-shaped trapping receiver.

Briefly, the herein disclosed clipper, whether it be used for fingernails or toenails, is characterized, generally stated, by a pair of upper and lower elongated coextensive yieldingly resilient cooperatively opposed legs. These legs have correspondingly mated inward and outward end potions. They are of requisite length, size and material and for best results, are not only basically alike but are channel-shaped in transverse crosssection. The open sides of the respective channels face and open toward and communic'atively register with each other and conjointly define an elongated hollow receiver. This receiver is of a capacity that it is adapted to trap and collect the severed nail clippings in such a manner that they can be subsequently dumped and emptied into a wastebaskct or the like. The outward end portions of the legs are superimposed upon each other and are united or otherwise fixedly joined together. The inward ends are proximal to the fingernails being clipped, are spring biased and spaced apart in divergent relationship and provided with transverse confronting jaws which are provided with mating main or primary cutting blades of requisite curvature and clipping ability.

More specifically the herein disclosed nail clippers are such in construction that each jaw is provided not only with customary primary cutting blades which confront each other but, in addition, with relatively short auxiliary cutting blades. The latter blades are disposed at an angle to the respectively cooperable terminal ends of the primary blades. In fact these auxiliary cutting blades supplement the cutting action of the intervening primary blade and they are accordingly flush with the primary blade and preferably, but not necessarily, disposed at right angles thereto. The portions of the flanges complemental to the auxiliary blades are cutaway for nail clearance purposes and to facilitate guiding and piloting the bladed ends of the levers into easy-to-use positions.

Another feature of the invention has to do with the adaptation and arrangement wherein the longitudinal side flanges of the channels are substantially commensurate in length with the length of the companion web portion of the channel. The channel of the lower leg is slightly wider than the channel of the upper leg and the flanges of the upper leg telescope into the channel portion of the lower leg and have shiftable wiping contact and permit the over-all legs to be forcibly pressed toward each other and, when not pressurized, to automatically and yieldingly spring apart for ready use.

In addition, novelty is predicated on the use of an elongated U-shaped yoke. This yoke has spaced parallel arms which straddle the flanged channel-shaped legs and the free ends of the legs are hingedly anchored .on coacting flanges. The opposite ends of the legs are provided with a connector which provides a satisfactory thumb piece. This thumb piece is properly cooperable with a curvate finger piece which is provided at the superimposed end portions of the two legs. The median portions of the legs are provided with a crosspin which provides a thrust member and which is used in the manner to apply the force to the upper leg and to facilitate opening and closing of the bladed jaws in keeping with the requirements of the user.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a pair of nail clippers constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and featuring the receiver and other improvements and showing the bladed legs in their normal open position and the lever poised and ready to forcibly press the jaws into nail clipping relationship;

FIG. 2 is a view on a slightly enlarged scale taken approximately on the plane of the central longitudinal section line 22 of FIG. I looking in the direction of the indicating arrows;

FIG. 3 is a section at right angles taken on the transverse section line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view which compared with FIG. 1 reveals the folded out-of-the-way position of the lever when the clippers are not readied for use.

The over-all implement is characterized, generally stated, by two component parts or units; namely, the dual leg jaw-equipped nail clipper 6 and the complemental force and pressure applying lever means 8.

The clipper 6 comprises an upper elongated leg and a companion basically similar lower elongated leg. As already mentioned both legs are channel-shaped in cross section and are so interrelated that the open sides or faces of the respective aligned channels coordinate in defining the elongated hollow trapping and collecting receiver. These legs in actual practice are preferably made of non-corrodible stainless steel which may be nickel-plated or otherwise surface-finished. Each channel is characterized by a web portion and side walls or flanges. The web of the upper leg is denoted by the numeral and the major right hand portion in the views of the drawing is substantially flat or straight. The outward terminal end is longitudinally bowed as at 12 and is superimposed upon and fixed to a conformingly bowed terminal or outward end portion 14 of the web 16 of the lower channel or leg. The curvate ends 12 and 14 define a shallow hook-like finger piece which assists in holding and handling the clipper. The depending side walls or flanges of the upper leg are designated at 18 and are substantially commensurate in length with the' over-all length of the leg. The inward end portions are provided with downwardly opening journal clearance notches 20 which serve a purpose to be later described. The terminal inward end of each web has a lateral lip which is suitably arcuately curved and defines ajaw 22. This jaw has an appropriately sharpened cutting edge which constitutes the main or primary blade 24. That portion outwardly of the bladed jaw of the web is longitudinally convex as at 26 and provides a cam-like surface. It will be noted that the width of the channel of the lower leg is wider than the channel of the upper leg and consequently the side walls or flanges 18 telescope within the confines and limits of the side walls or flanges 28 of the lower leg. The entire web of the lower leg except for the curvate terminal end 14 is substantially planar or flat. Hereagain the forward end of the lower leg has a lateral lip 30 which constitutes a second jaw and whose sharpened cutting edge 32 provides a second main blade. The paired main blades are opposed to each other and come together in clipping relationship in the usual way when the springy legs are forcibly pressed together. Not only does the clipper have main bladed jaws 22 and 30 it is provided with additional cutting means. This is to say each left hand end portion of the flanges 18 and 28 is cutaway to form a clearance notch 34 (FIG. 1). These notches are at the respective terminal ends of the main blades and one edge portion of each notch is sharpened and provided with a cutting edge which constitutes an auxiliary blade 36. The four blades 36 thus provided result in providing tripple blades for each leg. These clearance notches and auxiliary cutting blades coordinate in providing better clearance for the users nails and after trial and error experience and acquirement of skill the user will find that these auxiliary blades augment the function of the main blades and facilitate piloting the jaws into position and, in fact, using the same in a more satisfactorily controlled manner.

With respect now to the lever means 8 this is a onepiece unit and, more specifically, is an elongated U- shaped yoke. The arms of the yoke are appropriately contoured and dimensionally spaced in parallelism to perform their intended service. The inward substantially straight end portions 38 of the respective arms straddle the flanges l8 and 28 and are provided with aligned journals 40 which are rotatable in bearing holes 42 provided therefor. Thus, the over-all yoke is hingedly or pivotally joined to the clipper by way of the lower legs. A median portion of the legs is provided with a dowel-like rigid cross member 43 which is of an appropriate cross-section and length that it provides a thrust member when the lever 8 is pressed toward the clipper in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 2. The offset end portions 46 and 48 of the respective arms are joined by a suitably curved bend or bent portion 44. This bent portion 44 joins the end portions 46 and 48 which, as shown, are angled and contoured so that the lever can assume the efficient working position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and can also be folded to the left (in the direction of the arrow B) and swung underneath the clipper and folded to an out-of-the-way position as shown in FIG. 4. The connector between the right hand end portions of the arms is denoted at 50 and is curved on the underside as shown in FIG. 2 and provided with a notch as at 52. This connector 50 provides an appropriate thumb piece and the notch 52 serves to receive the flesh of the thumb (not illustrated) to facilitate nonslipping use of the lever 8. Thus the thumb piece 50 coordinates with the finger piece or hook means 12 and 14 to facilitate catching hold of and reliably using the over-all clipper.

It will be noted that the aforementioned clearance notches 20 are aligned with the journals 40 and permit closing of the jaws and the plural cutting blades on said jaws.

It will be noted that the length of the lever 8 is less than the length of the clipper so that the lever can be swung in the direction of the arrow B and can assume the compact folded out-of-the-way position illustrated in FIG. 4.. It is within the purview of the inventive concept to embody inherent resiliency in the arm portions 46 and 48 and the bend 44 so that when the lever is closed (FIG. 4) it can snap into place and can be held resiliently in this position to keep it from swinging undesirably to a partly open position.

Experience has shown that when the lever 8 is pressed toward the clipper 6 and the cutting edges or blades are brought into play the desired clipping result is attained and the severed clippings are caused to be trapped'and collected in the storing space of the receiver. When the job is completed it is an easy matter to shake the loose clippings out into a wastebasket or the like.

The views of the drawings show the component parts and how they are individually and 'conjointly constructed and utilized and these views taken in conjunction with the detailed description will suffice, it is submitted, to clarify the matter of use and features and advantages of the clipper. Accordingly a more extended description is deemed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A pair of elongated legs disposed in adjacent generally parallel relation and having one pair of corresponding forward end portions thereof generally channel-shaped in cross-section each including a pair of side flanges interconnected by a web extending therebetween and with said channel-shaped end portions opening laterally toward each other and the side flanges of one of said end portions partially telescoped between the flanges of the other of said end portions, the terminal ends of said corresponding end portions being provided with transverse jaws extending between the corresponding flanges, projecting toward each other and defining spaced mating cutting edge portions, the other rear end portions of said legs being interconnected for swinging of said one pair of ends toward each other and engagement of said cutting edge portions with each other, the forward end portions of said flanges being notched to form side cutting edges with the side cutting edges of each pair of corresponding flanges being disposed in shear relation when said cutting edge portions are engaged with each other and spaced apart when said cutting edge portions are spaced apart to receive a nail to be clipped therebetween.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said side cutting edges comprise rearward extensions of the opposite ends of said cutting edge portions.

3. The nail clipper defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the rearward end portions of the webs are superimposed, converge and are conjointly bowed longitudinally and coact in providing a downturned hook-like finger-piece.

4. The nail clipper defined in and according to claim 1, and, in combination, an elongated U-shaped yoke of a length less than the length of said channel-shaped legs, said yoke constituting a manually manipulatable lever and embodying a pair of opposed spaced parallel arms having inward and outward end portions said outward ends being integrally connected by a suitably shaped and readily depressible and releasable thumbpiece, the inward end portions of said arms straddling both legs and having free ends which are pivotally anchored on the forward jaw-equipped end portion of said one leg, and median portions of said arms being provided with a rigid dowel-like crosspin, said crosspin being adapted to bridge across a predetermined surface of the other leg, being adapted to engage said surface and providing a force and pressure applying thrust pin.

5. The nail clipper according to claim 4, and wherein said surface is convexly elevated and assists, when force is imposed thereon, to cam and force the jaws together and also to effect a controllable release action of the spring-opened jaws.

6. A nail clipper comprising a pair of upper and lower elongated coextensive yicldingly resilient cooperatively opposed legs having correspondingly mated inward and outward end portions, said legs being basically alike and channel-shaped in cross-section, the open sides of the respective channels facing, opening toward and communicatively registering with each other, and conjointly defining an elongated hollow receiver, said receiver being adapted to trap and collect severed nail clippings for subsequent disposition, the outward end portions being aligned and superimposed one upon the other and fixed together, the inward ends being springbiased apart and provided with transverse confronting jaws which are provided with mating primary cutting blades, an elongated U-shaped yoke of a length less than the length of said channel-shaped legs, said yoke constituting a manually manipulatable lever and embodying a pair of opposed spaced parallel arms having inward and outward end portions said outward ends being integrally connected by a suitably shaped and readily depressible and releasable thumb-piece, the inward end portions of said arms straddling both legs and having free ends which are pivotally anchored on the inward jaw-equipped end portion of said lower leg, and median portions of said arms being provided with a rigid dowel-like crosspin, said crosspin being adapted to bridge across a predetermined surface of the upper leg, being adapted to engage said surface and providing a force and pressure applying thrust pin, said surface being convexly elevated and assisting, when force is imposed thereon, to cam and force the jaws together and also to effect a controllable release action of the springopened jaws, said arms being longitudinally shaped and contoured in side elevation to promote compactness and convenience when the lever is manually pivoted, swung and folded from an in-use position above and aligned with the upper leg to an out-of-use position beneath and folded against the underneath side of the lower leg. 

1. A pair of elongated legs disposed in adjacent generally parallel relation and having one pair of corresponding forward end portions thereof generally channel-shaped in cross-section each including a pair of side flanges interconnected by a web extending therebetween and with said channel-shaped end portions opening laterally toward each other and the side flanges of one of said end portions partially telescoped between the flanges of the other of said end portions, the terminal ends of said corresponding end portions being provided with transverse jaws extending between the corresponding flanges, projecting toward each other and defining spaced mating cutting edge portions, the other rear end portions of said legs being interconnected for swinging of said one pair of ends toward each other and engagement of said cutting edge portions with each other, the forward end portions of said flanges being notched to form side cutting edges with the side cutting edges of each pair of corresponding flanges being disposed in shear relation when said cutting edge portions are engaged with each other and spaced apart when said cutting edge portions are spaced apart to receive a nail to be clipped therebetween.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said side cutting edges comprise rearward extensions of the opposite ends of said cutting edge portions.
 3. The nail clipper defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein the rearward end portions of the webs are superimposed, converge and are conjointly bowed longitudinally and coact in providing a downturned hook-like finger-piece.
 4. The nail clipper defined in and according to claim 1, and, in combination, an elongated U-shaped yoke of a length less than the length of said channel-shaped legs, said yoke constituting a manually manipulatable lever and embodying a pair of opposed spaced parallel arms having inward and outward end portions said outward ends being integrally connected by a suitably shaped and readily depressible and releasable thumb-piece, the inward end portions of said arms straddling both legs and having free ends which are pivotally anchored on the forward jaw-equipped end portion of said one leg, and median portions of said arms being provided with a rigid dowel-like crosspin, said crosspin being adapted to bridge across a predetermined surface of the other leg, being adapted to engage said surface and providing a force and pressure applying thrust pin.
 5. The nail clipper according to claim 4, and wherein said surface is convexly elevated and assists, when force is imposed thereon, to cam and force the jaws together and also to effect a controllable release action of the spring-opened jaws.
 6. A nail clipper comprising a pair of upper and lower elongated coextensive yieldingly resilient cooperatively opposed legs having correspondingly mated inward and outward end portions, said legs being basically alike and channel-shaped in cross-section, the open sides of the respective channels facing, opening toward and communicatively registering with each other, and conjointly defining an elongated hollow receiver, said receiver being adapted to trap and collect severed nail clippings for subsequent disposition, the outward end portions being aligned and superimposed one upon the other and fixed together, the inward ends being spring-biased apart and provided with transverse confronting jaws which are provided with mating primary cutting blades, an elongated U-shaped yoke of a length less than the length of said channel-shaped legs, said yoke constituting a manually manipulatable lever and embodying a pair of opposed spaced parallel arms having inward and outward end portions said outward ends being integrally connected by a suitably shaped and readily depressible and releasable thumb-piece, the inward end portions of said arms straddling both legs and having free ends which are pivotally anchored on the inward jaw-equipped end portion of said lower leg, and median portions of said arms being provided with a rigid dowel-like crosspin, said crosspin being adapted to bridge across a predetermined surface of the upper leg, being adapted to engage said surface and providing a force and pressure applying thrust pin, said surface being convexly elevated and assisting, when force is imposed thereon, to cam and force the jaws together and also to effect a controllable release action of the spring-opened jaws, said arms being longitudinally shaped and contoured in side elevation to promote compactness and convenience when the lever is manually pivoted, swung and folded from an in-use position above and aligned with the upper leg to an out-of-use position beneath and folded against the underneath side of the lower leg. 